Punjab Offering Rice To Karnataka Sets Stage For Congress-AAP Bonhomie

The AAP government in Punjab has reached out and offered rice to the Congress government in Karnataka.

As major opposition parties across the country head to Patna for the much-publicised meeting on the 23rd of June put together by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the AAP-Congress relationship is one that will be in focus. The question is could some rice from an AAP-ruled Punjab to Congress-ruled Karnataka break the ice?

The fact that Congress has refused to take a stand on the AAP's campaign against the centre on the National Capital of Delhi (Amendment) Ordinance, which curtails powers of the Delhi government despite a Supreme Court verdict, only reiterates the historic bitterness between the two parties.

The Congress' refusal to take a stand on the matter is despite several regional parties, including staunch Congress allies like the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, agreeing to support the AAP and Delhi Chief Minster Arvind Kejriwal's campaign against the Centre.

In this backdrop, the AAP government in Punjab reached out and offered rice to the Congress government in Karnataka. As part of fulfilling the promises it had made in its election manifesto, the newly elected Siddaramaiah government in Karnataka had announced the rollout of an additional 5 kg of rice to all Below Poverty Line (BPL) families under its 'Anna Bhagya' scheme from July 1.